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Tony Blais, Edmonton Sun

Nov 19, 2012

, Last Updated: 4:48 PM ET

EDMONTON — An Ontario man who was badly burned after he blew himself up while making hash at a rural home west of Edmonton was put under house arrest Monday.

Scott Koncir-Squires, 24, was given a two-year conditional sentence to be served in the community after pleading guilty in Court of Queen’s Bench to producing a controlled substance and arson causing damage to property.

Federal prosecutor Melina Rawluk told court Koncir-Squires “caused an explosion” while using butane to convert marijuana into hash at a rented home in Parkland County in January 2011.

Rawluk said police responded to the home and seized 500 grams of hash and 200 grams of marijuana.

Court heard the explosion lifted the roof off of the home and resulted in Koncir-Squires being in hospital in critical condition with burns to 70% of his body.

Defence lawyer Mark Grotski described the blast as an “earth-shattering experience” for his client and noted he feels “he should have died” as a result of the explosion.

“Either due to inexperience or negligence on his part, the enterprise did not go well for him,” said Grotski.

Koncir-Squires was in the burn unit for several weeks undergoing multiple skin grafts and ended up suffering post-traumatic stress disorder, mood swings, nightmares and flashbacks, said Grotski.

Justice Peter Michalyshyn accepted a joint submission for the two-year conditional sentence and placed Koncir-Squires under house arrest for the first 12 months and a nightly curfew for the balance.